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IK
rujuu.iLiinjiiLiii
VERMONT P H (E W I X.
..St u -
und Im-
ioh. II.
BRATTLKBORO, Vt. MARCH is7 lsTeT
NO. 28.
YjJnaiONT 1 II CBN IX.
rublithed every I'riduj Morning,
LY o. W. NICHOLS h W. K. UYTHEIt.
L v. 2 Hall'" Building, nearly opposite Chae's(
DlllgC liuurc
a !-..! n1irrtlifrii Tito Dollnrs a vear
I .nlftS W l'l lUI-rili: hum
,,.,.,r. , ilucount from llice prices of Iwcnly
i'-' . . i . i ...i i i.........
f ,,t I not ntailo nt the expiration of ilie year
F1'" . . . .-r, .. .,,.. ,li...n,,ti,,l
.... .r lie niiinn in i"1"" r-v 111 '".
n" ! .!. :....fii.
11 srrcarag-i arc paw, ... ..... , .. ....
Luhfi Urucrs y mnii mini uu (h.i-.miu ui
I II ... rarnill. altClltlOll.
iLaii ii'' f Jon i'hintin" n""y cu-
l,l,hort not ire and on moderate lermi.
Krom tlic New Yolk Amerirnn.
. I I . I .1.. r.,ll.-.;nrr linio ..1,1.
IAioman s nanu nui.u ..... b
l,iroma' true and fond licart could lintc inspired.
ttoft e may rccene oilier sucn gems.
TIIK WIFE'S PRAYER.
The ouii? wife kneeling to tier God,
Seems brightrr f ir in this lone renc
Xhjn nhen nr ImIU of inirlli she trod,
'Mill Ka-hion's throng, a xvorr-hippM quccnl
Cl,conll,cloe that fill her heart
cw rlnrm li til lent to cheek and brow
Q)It 1ml huh! tlic pin e lips part,
I'ercliancc for thtt flic's pleading now:
"Hear me, ihon "h" maik'st each feeling,
Thou who know'at each passion's ay ;
Allhv sirinl nllar kneeling,
For a being loied 1 pray!
He i dearrr tlnn the mother
Who halh been my life'" fond guide
He i 'nraicr than a brother,'
Though a brolher'n still my pride.
pji re .wmirr. bloom bod peri. bed,
W the lorrr'i weal I ulc.id
Father' on the huiband rhcrUlicd,
Vow thy rhmcest blessings shed!
n all 'peril and temptation'
(iiMiil In in nilli thy holy might;
'.MiJ the charm i.f power niul station,
Keipfl nuhlc spirit blight.
Elrfihini, I'ntlirr! he is sinning
Fromll) for the goal of fame;
Oh' nun nery year departing
Add licrh limits to bin name!
Grant him (Jenin' inspiration
Wt'ilnin's elmiiencc ilixinc;
He 15 pledged unto a nation,
Let mm in her councils shine.
Be hi guide; and for earth's sorrow
For the blight, the cloud, the thorn,
Sti prepare hnn, that each morrow
On a fearless heart may d.inn.
Fsther! if the loic I bc.ir him
Lend his pith a brighter ray
f that lote one pang raft spare him,
Ant me still to cheer his way.
Sltntilil his manhood's prime be shaded,
11 hua on this heart repose;
It mil prole, when joys are faded,
uecri spring, ami torcsi rose.
A lSKOTIIEirS LOVE.
Thereissoniethint'iranscendenlly virtuous,
tlie.tllectionof a high hearted brother low
rs Ins smile & amiable sister. lie curt feel
.bounded admiration for her beauty -he
a appreciate ntfd applaud the kindness
hich she bestows upon himself he can
ess Iut hrtirht lips and Iter fair forehead,
a still leel tluit she is unpolluted he eon
itui the blush steal over her features when
tells her of her innoceih lollies, nnd he
a clasp her to his bosom.-in consolution
toi the tears gush from her overloaded
art. Uith woman there: ft a feeling of
if minified with the legnrt! which she
Hot her brother. She looks ttnoti him
one fitted to brave the tempest of the
"J, as one lo whose arms of nrotueiion
an fly for shelter when she is stricken
sorrow, wronged or oppressed ; tts one
ose honor is connected with his own.
ho durst not see her insulted with imptini-
lie is to ner as the oak is to the vine,
ithounl) sh e nine fi'nr nil ntlu.r nf mun.
nil, she is secure and confident in th. lnvi
j countenance of her brother. Nothing
8 '"'in such satisfaction, and nothitiL'
mines a sister so affectionately umong his
apathies and his interests, as a profound
'-nee upon her virtue, nnd strong difTi
anil delicacy. As these two latter
Hities nre Air the most delicious qualities
beautiful female, so arc the strongest
' 'or cniicinp- away the affections of the
wsex. A female without delicncv is n
Nan without
'shnnliino percention of virtue is t tiue
iracieristic of a pure hearted creature, so
lft" most inftlliUe bond of union belweenl
aria t L ... . . . ."l
,""' "my beat in response lo each
.nere is more tenderness in the
POSItlOll Of wninnn tl..,n . I.,.. ll,f.
"on of a brother is full nf llm nuri-M nnd
1(1 Onii,,. l .
- s"iuus impulses ; it cannot be quench
6J' aught but tndelicacv and unworthi
r aml It Wl nutliei. n llinnsnnrl ssnlfisll
1 SOIlllJ atl:li-li,n..nlo
ft'ep-rooteil ntfrnril
- -,' iwi M v. l l w v.iv-miw
nl. lhc same parents with ourselves, is
wnly ono of the noblest feelings of our
J"and were every other feeling of Im
n nature denrl row, ii.: .1,.. ,ni,i oiill
I I - llllk'i till IM II U1IIM uin
"0'u mpo remain that the fountain of
lul ad principle, was not yet sealed,
1 krrihh
u,an. livnif? in Liberty Valley, Perry
U III l.n...1 " .
I f -Ji'MilH III VI. IVlill 1111 UllUlllf
jjna rearful death, one day last week. He
, pwn employed durintj tho day by some
-.m wiiiyjvunin, mn wun nu uniune
neighbors, butcliDring, nnd was re
berlt T uvvimiy, 10 I. 10 iiu-
en i 1 a.l)ortln f the day's spoils,
muiuy ins employers, which attracted
r o"i uoivestimt invested Ins path.
. --.-ni-n utu poor ienow nna morally
""iniin ni,u..ni. rn :.. .
.1 . (""-uiuuo, uia luiimiiia
iiio next tlay, surrounded by somo of
'Mcncpanf ,io.,..: ,.,:.t. ..,t,:i.
""ed h,s lifi,. only weapon to do-
Himself with wns on ordinary knifo ho
J Weil llfiinr- nl .....1. 1 .!.... 1
n(1 his mutilated lindv fi vn nf tlipstn fnrn-
'animale,1 gashed in ovcry imaginable
f. It is supposed there must have
1 a dozen or more in the gang, from tho
"vhtch the scene of this unhappy occur-
l"eniect. Juniata 1'enn.) Journal.
From tlis New Yerk Journal of Commerce.
LATEST rrioM TIIK SANDWICH islands.
Wo have been favored with the Kumn
.Jhiwui! of October 19th, a very neat little
Tiuwspapor HJled "with matter calculated to
interest and benefit tho Islanders, so recently
rescued from the deep misery of ignornnce
Superstition and savage ferocity. It rontnina
a detailed account of the loss'ofihc English
Whale Ship Corsair, on the 13th of January,
1835 on n coral reef near Drummond's Isl
and. Wo cop,j- the following uccount of nn
important criminal trial.
THIAL OF JOHN COLEMAN.
The triul of John Coleman alios John
Lewis charged with the murder of Henry
Farmer, was held on the 21st inst. in this
village, before tho King, Kinau, the princi
pal chiefs, and a pretty Inrgo number of
foreigners. Two juries were cmnannclled
one, consisting of twelve respectable for
eigtiprs, principally residents, of which II.
A. Pierce, Esq. was appointed foreman
the other consisting of natives, of which
John li was foreman. The cause was tried
before them solely by tho examination of
witnesses, and wns conducted chiefly by J.
C. Jones, Esq. U. S. Consul. Mr. Bing
ham, by request acted as Interpreter. Sev
eral witnesses were called to the stand, and
the following is tho substance of the testi
mony as given in during the trial. It ap
pears that a party of fureip-ners, principally
seamen belonging to the vessels in port,
and somo two or three foreigners residing
in the villace, ninontr whom wns Farmer
the deceased, went up, on tho evening of the1
Mill of Sept. for an excursion of ileasiire
to the house of a foreigner, (commonly
known by the mame of Hob the Tailor) in
the valley of Nuuanti. The prisoner and
an elder brother invited by a man who keeps
one of thu grogshops, having furnished
themselves with a gallon of brandy, joined
the company in the morning. On entering
the house the brother enquired for a certain
sailor known as a boxer nnd immediately
commenced n qtmrrel with him. The pris
oner joined his brother and the two bad the
mastery of the sailor. Farmer, the deceas
ed, who was in the house nt the time, was
urged by his wife to go out and put nn end
to the fight; he went out, but instead of com
plying with her request, advanced towards
the prisoner, und demanded fair play that
it should be man to man. 1 he prisoner
accepted tho challenge, and stepping up,
struck Farmer on the left side. Farmer re
treated a lew paces nnd fell; the prisoner
advanced nnd struck him again under the
lelljaw bone, tiller which ho never arose
lie was taken into the house, and a phy
sician, (Dr. Feabody.) was sent for imme
diately. Upon his arrival, he found a sin
gle pulsation, but it was tho .last. Consid
ering the circumstances of the ense the Dr.
gnvoiillus his opinion that the deceased came
lo his death by the blows inflicted by the
prisoner.
At the close of the examination, the pris
oner was asked if he wished to say any
thing to the jury, or propose any questions
to witnesses, or state any point on which lo
rest his defence, lie said that he threw
himself with confidence on the hands of the
jury, declaring that uny malicious intention
in killing the deceased was tailhest possible
from him. Mr. Jones then, in a few words,
luid before the jury the points, which it was
proper for them to take into consideration in
mukinc up their verdict, und his remarks,
at his request were interpreted by Mr. Uitig
hum to the nutivo jury. The two juries
then went out, nnd soon returned each with
an independent verdict, acquitting the jiris
oner ol Murder, and lindmg nun guilty 01
Manslaughter.
The penalty for this crime by law, is im
prisonment for four years, or a fine of 200
dollars. Tho prisoner was committed to
the fort.
We cannot help adding one or two re
flections which unavoidably uroso on see
ing a husband, nnd a father, thus cut down
by an untimely death, clvinu ns tho fool
dielh. ami leaving a family of four interest
ing children to reap in their bitter experience
the fruits of their father's folly in uniting
himself with the company of the ungodly.
Had the unhappy father remained at home
....1. 1.:- r.....!i.. 1 ..r 1;. ... ,,.
Willi uis iainiiy, iiiaieuu ui y iciuniy iu ou-
licilation to visit 11 house known only us 11
covert for works of shame and darkness,
where those have been in the hubit of resor
ting who wished lo purstio their pleasures
secure from the oye of public observation,
ho had not thus fallen. Let us hope that
tho salutary lessons tntight by this paiuhil
occurrence, mny not be lost upon mo ciiii
dren erowiutr tin in our village. Hero they
may see written in letters of blood, tho "bles
sinrrs nf rum." For. in answer lo the ques
tion repeatedly proposed during tho exam
ination of the witnesses, whether tho pris
oner and tho deceased were intoxicnled, it
was said, that they were strongly excited by
liquor, to say tho feast. Wo will hopo then,
tharUchildien who are enjoying the pnvi-leL-eso'f
the school in this village, may there,
through the blessing of God, be fortified
against temptation, and learn not to go in
ih wnv nf wicked men. Had tho young
man, who is now suffering tho penalty of
his crime, thus been instructed, anu given
heed to tho voice of his teachers, ho had not
thus been the unhnppy instrument of strip
ping a family of helpless children of their
natural guardian and protector, anu 01 cas
ting them out upon the mercies of a world,
which many under similar circumstances,
have, been constrained to pronounce an un
feeling world.
In tho district of Anpien. in Silesia, n wo
mnn.aged ono hundred years, hung herself
lately. All nor lamiiy naving oeen succes
sively conveyed to the tomb, she labored
under tho idea that God had forgotten to
call hor out of the world.
Debates in Congress.
nxTitACTS ritoM Tin:
SPEKCII OF Mlt CAMIIKKLENG
Of Now York, in the House of Representa
tives, Jan. 27, 1830, on the following reso
lution offered by Mr Adams, of Mass.
'lU-SoJrlijihnso much of llm Message
of the PircsMcntofrthe United Slates to con
gress, aibtdotnmencement of the present
session,- nsrrelates to the failure, at lhc last
session of Congress, ol tho hill containing
the ordinary appropriations for fortifications,
be preferred to a select committee, with in
structions to inquire into nnd report to the
Hotiso the cause and circumstances of the
failure of this bill."
Mr CAJtnitKLKNu said it was not his de
sign to detain lhc House long in discussing
this Very grave question of thu loss of the
appropriation of three millions for the de
fence of the country tho true issue between
the two Houses. "Concerning the bill ma
king ordinary provision for new fortifica
tions, there wns no contest. The controver
sy between the Senate and the Hotiso was
not about fortifications to be finished, per-
Jiaps in 1810, but about tho three million
appropriation 111 1835, for arming forts al
ready completed, and for increasing our na
vy afloat. The inquiry was who left the
country defenceless, after the message of the
President comtntiiiicutiug the correspond
ence with Frnnce, and after the unanimous
resolution of the House, that the execution
of the treaty should be insisted on ; ami at a
crisis, too, when the question of peace or war
depended on the caprice of rj government
denying us justice, nnd regardless of its
faith. That was the appropriation to which
the attention of the nntion was directed, nnd
in the fate of which our national interest and
honor were directly involied. thai wns the
only; issue now pending between the two
Houses, and on w hich the cointry had al
ready very justly decided.
He regretted thut lie was obliged to en
gage in an inquiry alter lost appropriations,
when the lime of the House could be so
much more profitably employ d in devising
measures for the national defence, war or no
war; but, (s.iid MrC) I am not at liberty
to be silent in this debate; the combined at
tacks on me in both Houses oblige me to de
fend myself. In doing so, I shall be com
pelled to notice some of the statements of the
gentleman from Virginia, (Mr Wise.) I
hall not, Mr Speaker, in discussing this
question, introduce names they are of little
moment 111 any debate, fsot even the illus
trious name of the gentleman from Virginia,
could add the weight of 11 feather to my ar-
friim..it k'nn iLf.i.hl ri,i-r lt.t.mt it cir
and lam sure tho House would bo a'ston-
ished nt my indecorum, were I to designate
tho gentleman os "Mr Wise;" and courtesy
ii-milil .111 ri n ti I tr i,-.t tiati-ttiir lust ti 'ill lint
gentleman otherwise. No. sir. 1 hope 1 1
n wu iu 1 lit 11 llJI Hbl lllti III1. II Willi tu 1
shnll never be tempted on any occasion,
veil by the wild rant of disappointed uinbi-'
lion, in fornel me own se -resiled, or mv
regard for the dignity of this House, so far
, ------J . I - J
as to trea tinny gentleman with disrespect.
In tho present instance, Mr Speaker, I shall
not only'trent the gentleman with thu utmost
respect, but even with tenderness. It would
be unkind, indeed, to treat otherw ise the in
nocent, the unsuspecting, the penitent victim
of thut stupendous fraud which the gentle
man from Virginia has so recently discov
ered; that stupendous conspiracy which the
President, you and I were plotting lust year,
to betray the gentleman, undermine the Con
stitution, and destroy our government; No,
sir, it is far, very fir, from- my purpose to
engage in any parliamentary tournament
with the gentleman from Virginia, but,
should I ever be forced into any such contest
with any gentleman, I hope it will be my
fortune to encounter some more formidable
antagonist than "Buckingham with his rush
levied strength."
Gentlemen who feel themselves accounta
ble to the nation for leaving our country un
prepared to meet nny emergency which
might have grown out of our relations with
Frunce, have plead their utter ignorance
of 1 lie necessity for uny such preparation,
anil of any proposition for defence, till the
last night 'of the session. What, sir, is the
notorious history of this appropriation ? Our
Affairs with France remained in an uncer
tain attitude till the Inst days of the session,
antl this House suspended its action upon
the question, in the hope that some intelli
gence, would arrive. None reached us of a
pacific character. The Minister of France
had been recalled, passports had been ten
dered to our Minister, and he had been also
recalled. Every thing wore a belligerent
chnrncter. At that crisis, the President, in
his messaso of tho 25th February, commu
nicated, us soon as it wus received, the cor-
resnondenco with the French Government,
and in conclusion says:
"Tho subject being now, in all its present
aspects, before Congress, whose right it is lo
decide what measures nro to be pursued 011
that event, Mr Livingston's return, 1 deem
it unnecessary to make further rccommentlu.
lion, being confident that on their part evory
thing will bo dono to maintaiu the rights
and lionor of the country which the occasion
requires,"
Thus the Chief Magistrate of tho nation
submits this question, nt a ct iticul period, to
Congress, "confident that on their part, eve
ry thing will be (Uniffla maintain tne rigd
nnd honor of the country which the ocenston
requires." Wheji that messugo caine to the
Hotiso on tho,gfjtl)Fubrunry, I submitted
three iesolutiotnHuhich had been previous
ly considered bSmi Committee on Foreign
Affairs.
Tho third resolution recommended con
tingent preparation foraiiyscmeigency which
might grow dtit of our relations with Franco.
Tlitse resolutions, and tho President's mes
sage, u'cro refencd to the committee. The
next day tho committee made a report, which
contained the following exttacl ;
"The bill now before tho House, author
ising the sale of our stock in tho Hunk of the
U. States, would, if adopted, afford all the
revenue necessary. The committee is of
op nion that the whole, or n part of the fund
to be derived from that source, should be ifp
propriuted for tho purpose ol arming our fot
Ufications, und for making the military and
naval preparations for the defence of the
country, in ense such expenditures shoult'
become necessary before tho next meeting
of Congress."
The third resolution appended to that re
port was, that contingent preparations ought
to be made to meet any emergency growing
out of our relations w'ith France. That re
port, ami the resolutions, wus adopted by a
majority of tho committee on foreign nfTairs.
and proposed, not merely au appropriation
of three millions, but of the itfhole proceeds
of our stock in the Hank of'the U. States,
if necessary for the public defence.
When these resolutions came up the day
after, I stated that, lo secure unanimity, 1
should withdraw the third resolution, as I
intended, when the Senate's amendments to
the fortification bill should be under consid
eration, to oflertin amendment appropriating
three millions, which I had learned would
be nil that was deenietl necessary by the
Executive; thjis siibstitutinf for a mere de
claratory resolution, an actual approptiation
for the defence of the country. Such. sir. is
the published history of this preparation for
defence, about which gentlemen setm lo
have been so utterly ignonint The Presi
dent's message, the report ami resolutions
of the committee, and tjie unanimous resolu
tion of the House lo insist on the execution
of the treaty, were before the world; still
gentlemen "were ignorant of the whole affair,
and waited for estimates from tl e depart
ments, nnd nn executive order. Journals on
all sides were culling on Congress to place
the country in a state of defence; the fire
of patriotism was kindled throughout the
land, and lighting every spot in the Union,
save one dark chnmber,into which that light
could never pencttute; thereull was midnight.
Oilier apologies are made to the country,
sir estimates were not submitted by the de
partment, and, the fotm of the amendment
wai unprecedented, unconstitutional, nnd
monstrous. ' I shall presently show on what
foundation, legislative or historical, this lat
ter objection' rests. As to the estimate, you
will recollect that you, as chairman nf the
committee of ways and means, united with
me in a note 10 "the Secretary of State, in
quiring what amount would he required, and
that his answer was, one million for the Ar-
m'.' n,,d u for the Navy, including
fortili
fs'avv. ;,.u,,0"s' "-nnnce. nn.l increase ol the
It was upon that estimate the nronosJil
' amendment wns founded. And now, sir, for
. . - , . . .
" omnUnlilo amendment; here it is sir:
"And br tt jurther enacted, I hat the sum
' three miliums of dollars be, and the same
" ieriy a 1 ininriuieu 0111 01 me money ill
ft - .
"lu 1 reasury not otiierwi.-.o appropriated, lo
ue ex nentieii, 111 wnoie or 111 part, under the
11. 11 .11
direction of the President of the U. S. for the
military and naval service, including forlifi
cations and ordnance and increase of lhc Na
vy ; pro ided such expenditures shall be ren
dered necessary for the defence of the coun
try prior to the next meeting of Congress.''
This infernal machine, which was to blow
the gentleman from Virginia, the Constitu
tion a nil,' (lie Government to atoms, was con
trived here, sir, in concert with a former
representative from Virginia, and a member
of the opposition, a gentleman of thu highest
standing lor ability, honor, and integrity,
and universally esteemed in this house. I
menu 11 gentleman who was formerly chuir-
man ol the committee on foreign affairs. I
drew the section, und submitted it lo him.
He proposed nn amendment, nnd here nre
ihe words . "shall be rendered," in his own
handwriting. As originally drawn it read
"provided he shall deem such expenditures
necessary." As amended by the gentleman
Itom Virginia, it was, "provided such e.
nendiliires shall be rendered necessary."
Such, sir, was the origin of the celebrated
section which startled the Senate, and shook
the Government to its foundation.
And what, sir, was the history of this ap
propriation t 1 proposed it in the House
wns ntlopted by a largo majority, including
some fifteen opposition otes. It was scut to
the Senate, and how did ihey receive a mere
proposition to put the countrv in n state of
defence, should it become necessary? Wus
it treated with ordinary respuct, and referred
to a committee? No. Was it examined in
form or substance Was the slightest dis
position evinced to tiitike uny contingent pro
vision for defending tho country in case of
war 7 No, sir; 110 effort wns made to modi
fy the section in form or amount nout
whatever to defend the country. Tho Sen
ale seemed outraged at the Amcricun spirit
of the House; they appeared to receive it
as, 1 rebuke of their resolution to oppose the
recommendation of tho President, nml to re
ject every measure designed "to maintain
the honor and rights of the country." It
was not the form, nor tho objects, nor the
amount of the appropriation ; it was tho pre
determined resolution of the Senate, upon a
question betweon the country nnd a foreign
power, to resist the House, the President und
tho country. This wus tho origin of the
motion to reject tho appropriation, und of
tho violent and extraordinary movement
of.that body. It was rejected. The House
insisted on its amoiidment, nnd sent tho ap
propriation to tho Senalo a second lime.
Hnd tho Senato, even at that hour, treated
tho House with ordinary courtesy; had it
insisted, and usked a conference, the bill nnd
the appropriation or a part of it, might have
beeq,8aved. Contrary, however, to all par
liamentary usage, nnd animated by a deter
mined spirit of resistance, that body would
not condescend lo nsk a conference; but, In
the second stage adhered to its disagreement,'
and left the bill, appropriation nnd nil, to
us line.
When tlio m rrtl rrn lifillntinniinn1 f Is,..!
mediately moved to adhcre.VVd if this House
had dono itself justice, thuTmotion' would
have prevailed. 13 u t -tU"l?. 'wJifin wns smnnr.
seded by one to insist and ask a conference.
nil 1 ....
1 no House yielded, and solicited a confer
ence, notwithstnnd Imr llit ri'npnti.i! iniliom.
tics of the Senate, nnd tho committee wns ap
pointed on the part of the House.
1 lie committee ot conference waited only
till the lnessarro wns M'nt in tin- K,.nni,.
lo learn w hether that body had, on ft 3 part,
agreed lo the conference, nnd even of that
noofhcml notice was ever received. In the
mean time, the Cumberland road bill was
nn its nassaife. and tun nf llm ni.n-i)i..ro nf
the committee voted on it immediately before
t : .1 t 1 J
leuviup; me uousc.
The hour when this committee wns ap
pointed has b een much diKtM.-pf!. nml nn.
ilemen tire appealing lo their recollections.
Whatever confidence I mny have, sir, in
their integrity, thev must nardem ms- fnr rp.
jecting their testimony, resting as it does on
their memory of the transactions of that
t 1 . ., . ......
iiigni. 1 reiy on me journal ol tlusv House.
-.,..... I... 1 ... T, 1. ..,1.. i . . . ,
viuitii-u un 11 ia uy uiu cieric, anu corrccteu
bv the Snenknr. nml nn tin.
proceedings ifi the public journals. These
prove unanswerably that the first business
of moment after the appointment of the com-,
mittee, wns the Cumberland road bill I; and
although that bill wns taken up some min
utes before 12 o'clock, tho nyes nnd noes
occupied some thirty minutes or more, nnd it
did not finally pass "till after thut hour.
Mr Speaker, it was after the vote had been
taken on printing the Postmaster General's
letter, after the Speaker had disposed of the
business on his table, preparatory to an ad
journment, nnd with a perfect knowledge, on
the part of the Senate, that the House hnd
been more than ono hour in vain struggling
for n quorum, and that they were mnking
final preparations for adjournment: it was.
sir, under such circumstances and nt two in
the morning, the following extraordinary
resolution was received from the Senate of
the United States :
"Resolved, That a message be sent to the
honorable the House of Representatives, re
spectfully to remind the House of the report
of the commilteo of conference, appointed
on the disagreeing vote of the two Houses
on the amendment of the House to the amend
ment of the Senate to the bill respecting the
fortifications of the U. States."
When that message was read. sir. I stated
w hat I now repeat, that, when I came into
tho House from the conference, the Cleik
was calling the yeas and nays on tho reso
lution to pay Mr Letcher, on which there
wns 110 quorum ; thut on a subsequent pro
position to adjourn, the yeas and nays were
called, and ugnin there was no quorum.
Under such circumstances, I did not feel au
thorised to present to the House an appro
propriation of 600,000 dollars. That the
House had discharged its duly to the coun
try by twice voting an appropriation of three
millions for ils defence, which the Senate
had twice rejected; that the bill was evi
dently lost, and the Senate must take the re
sponsibility of leaving thu country defence
less; that it was no longer in the power of
the House lo compel members to vote, to
call them here, or lo command a quorum;
ihnt 1 did not feel authorised to report the
bill, situated as thu House was ; but that.
if any other member of the committee of
conference proposed to do it, I should make
no objection, though 1 believed such a pro
position utterly ineffectual itt this time. Mr
I a-uis took the report, and, as the journal
states, madi! it. Rut, sir, 111 what manner
did ho make it? When the gentleman from
Virginia read from the journal the para
graph about the report, I was astonished.
When I came, however, to examine the
journal myself, when I observed a para
graph which had escaped the vigilant eye
ofthnt gentleman, my astonishment ceased.
Hern it is, sir: "The item proposed by the
conlerces 111 lieu of the amendment ol the
House was then read, nnd tho question was
stated that the House do adopt tho same;
when it was objected that a quorum was not
present." Wo shall see, sir, who it was
that objected: "And thereupon Mr Cambre
leng nnd Mr Lewis were appointed tellers
to return thu House; und the House being
counted, the tellers reported that a quorum
wns not present." Yes, Mr Speaker, the
tellers appointed to return the House report
ed thut u quorum was not present. This, sir,
is Mr Lewis's report. Wus not every mem
ber present counted, whether refusing to
vote or not? If any member hnd 'skulked,'
would not Mr Lewis have, reported thut
fiiut ? lint, sir, the journal does not slate the
case precisely' as it occurred, though I pre
sume the offfcersf the Uou.su felt obliged
to place the report upon the journal in some
form. There appeals, sir, to have been
somo doubt nbotit the fact ; for the gentle
man from Massachusetts (Air Phillips) in
quired of thu Chair about it, and the report
states that "the Chair staled in reply, thut,
as ho understood, the report was made,"
Air Phillips here rose, nnd stated that the
report wus not correct that he understood
the Chair to reply that tho report had not
been made. 1 The gentleman's recollections
corresponds with my own ns to thu met that
the report was not, strictly speaking, made.
In saying this, 1 by no means design nny
imputation against tho officers of the House.
It could not bo overlooked in the account
of our proceedings. But, sir, tho Intelli
gencer's report of what actually occurred,
accords precisely with my recollections of it,
viz :
"Mr Lewis (another member of the com
mittee of conference) took the repoit from
Mr Cambrelcng. with thennnarcnt intention
of ofleiing it to the House, but fie first asked
..... iu, uu mun uciier unrjersitinuM
his parliamentary duty "he first asked the
ehair whether there was a quorum present or
not." There wus not, sir, and Mr Lewis
laid the bill upon the clerk's table, and
there it remained.
Mr Speaker, I confess that when that ex
traordinary message was received from the
Senate when we witnessed the solemn fnrco
of hearing announced a grave message from
that dignified body, rebuking the few mem
bers remaining, and who, it was well know n
all over the Capitol, were taking steps pre
paratory to adjournment, I fell sir, some,
of the indignation so warmly expressed by
the gentleman from Alassnchusetts, (Mr Ad
ams.) But, sir, had we then known, ns we
have been since informed as we are now,
indeed, told by honorable senators them
selves that, before ihnt message wus sent to
this House, they had received a message
from the President of the U. States, announ
cing to them that, as the functions of Con
gress had ceased, he could receive no fur
ther communications from them had we
been aware of that fact, sir, by what name
should we have designated this extraordina
ry proceeding? Alight it not have been de
nounced ns a miserable artifice, to attempt to
shift the responsibility of leaving the country
defenceless, from the Senate to the Execu
tive I All such expedients, sir, were in vain,
as well us all these speeches upon the sub
ject. The country well know where this
responsibility rests. The story of the ihreo
million appropriation is briefly told. It was
the proposition of the House, in pursuance
of the President's message, and for our coun
try's defence it wns sent lo the Senate,
where it was rudely rejected it was sent
there again nnd again it was uncourieous
ly returned lo the House. It then received
its death-blow in the Senate it lingered for
a lime between the iwo Houses it perished
in the committee of conference, antl its poor
miserable remains were brought and depose
ed here, the gentleman from Alabama nn-1
Hampshire and myself acting ns pall bearers.
But, sir, I dismiss all these details, which
I have been compelled to go into in sell de
fence. I come now, sir, to those great con
stitutional objections which honorable Senu
lors have argued against the three milltcn
appropriation, proposed for our defence, ;n
the contingency of war. We have been
told sir, that tho amendment specified no
jects that every ibing was left lo the disrtf-
lion of the President that he could do e.
ry thing touching the naval service, wilhot".
control, und that he would have nn absolute
power to rnise and employ land forces; and
we are asked whether our legislation, under
our Constitution, furnished any precedent
for nil this? Air Speaker, these objections
nre made, and these questions are asked, by
senators distinguished ns statesmen; gentle
men of great experience, having been in the
public, councils some twenty or thirty years,
in peace nnd in war. Such bold declara
tions of gentlemen of experience and reputa
tion, though entirely unsupported by the
history of our country, may sometimes mis
lead, especially when put forth with an air of
confidence and authority.
Thu history of our legislation, sir, is re
plete with precedents, notwithstanding tho
bold declarations of gentlemen to the contra
ry I have iu my hand a list of some forty
or fifty, a few of which 1 will only notice.
In the early history of our legislation, in
Washington's administration, all our expen
ditures for the civil list were in one line, nnd
for the army in unother, without any specfi
cation whatever. I know that w e have long
since departed from that rule, but 1 doubt 11
little .whether we have consulted true econ
omy by such a course, for every branch wo
have lopped ofT has become a tree: till, final
ly, one, two-and three thousand dollars have
amounted up to two or three times as many
millions, Such, sir, are somo of the results
of too much specification.
These, Mr Speaker, are some few of tho
precedents for appropriations in tudden e
mergencies, and to prepare our country for
the contingency of war. Instead, sir of mn
king nil these objections to forms, instead of
resorting to nil these expedients lo avert re
sponsibility, and making unfounded appeals
to the history of our legislation, would it not
be more candid, more manly, nay, more hon
orable, sir, to take the honest ground which
somo gentlemen have occupied, nnd say thev
would not make the appropriation tliroticlt
feai of a war with France? Sir, these timid
councils never hnvc succeeded, and never
will. It was the unfortunate decision of iho
Senate that it was inexpedient to do any
thing that produced tho prompt rejection of
the three million appropriation for our na
tional defence; it was their unforttinnte nnd
unchangeable resolution to appose the House,
the President nml tho country. Frnnce ex
ulted nt this division in our national councils:
thu result is, the trenty is not executed, and
wo are now preparing for any emergency.
Mr Speaker, thu Senate, in former days,
was not found, in any question between our
country and a foreign power, tiiicourtcously
nnd rudely resisting measures of this Uouso
designed lor our national defence, in case
war should come upon us in tho recess of
congress. 1 hoy uiu not reject propositions
without examination, nnd adhere without
previous conference. They did not scruple
nbout forms, specifications, and estimates of
Departments, when called upon hy tho Pres
ident to ndopt measures "to maintain tho .
rights and honor of the country." J
Bui, sir, it is time to dismiss this inquiry.
It is a matter of littlo moment now lotliB"nn- S
tion which houso destroyed the three milt'n
ions appropriation, or who the fonific', F? j
bill. I am glad to learn from nlmov.clsii"'''"
sides, that we nre now determined, in both
Houses, to unite with thu. Executive in put
ting our country in that strong nttitudfc which